Release
by Slytherins'Finest
Summary: It was a project. Her final project. And Malfoy would be her subject. Why not? She was only temporary. His pain would be worth it, right?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I wrote the plot for this in 2010, but I think I'm going to treat it as a new story. Even though I'm working with an old idea, I can see myself taking a different direction than I had initially intended. **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, please read and review.**

**Release**

**Chapter one – It's Easier to hide**

She tried to hold back the sigh in her throat as she took in the slanting silhouette of the burrow, but it escaped anyway. She watched as tiny rain droplets showered around the building. It had been a distinctly English summer, cold and dreary.

Moving to the burrow for the last two weeks of summer used the be the best part of the holidays, but the usually happy occurrence had been tainted by the umbrella of turmoil over her life.

Bleak, yes.

True, also yes.

She promised herself that she wouldn't let it take over her life, but it was hard. It was hard to stop herself from crawling into a ball and letting the outside world fade from around her. It was hard being present. But she promised herself she would try. Besides, the Dr said the less she thought about it, the longer she would be around, put simply, and who was she to ignore a doctor's orders?

So, with another sigh, she steeled herself and headed to the entrance.

She stared at the door to Ron's room. The poster of the Chudley Canon player zooming about on his broom seemed to be taunting her with its happiness. She must have been staring for infinity, preparing to face the questions that would be fired at her as soon as she walked in; when George bumped into her.

"Oof- sorry Hermione, I didn't see you there. Oi, where've you been all summer?" He was walking out of a lavatory and turned to take her in.

She took in his lanky frame. Though lanky might not have been the correct term. He was tall sure, but he had definitely filled out since she had last seen him. His shoulders and arms were defined now. He clearly had biceps. And his face had taken on a more defined quality. Even his ginger hairs appeared more refined, less stark. Almost auburn. He was starting to look like a man. She realised had missed George. he was the only one who didn't call her by the awful nickname 'Mione' they had all given her, claiming that 'Hermione' was a mouthful.

"Hey George. Oh, you know me, I've had my nose in a ton of books."

It was a lie, and George knew. She could see it on his face. While the twins were the definition of un-seriousness, every now and then when it was just Hermione and George, she would catch a look of clear intuitiveness on his face. She knew he would not ask any more questions.

"Oh yeah, I don't buy it. But tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum definitely will." He winked back at her.

She felt a tiny smile break through her icy expression. This is why she'd missed him. He understood. "Thanks, George."

He winked again and disappeared down the stairs.

She steeled herself.

_Here goes nothing._

_September 1st._

Hermione had spent all night with Ron and Harry trying to make up for lost time. Ron gushed about the quiddich game they had all went to the day before. Actually 'the game' was too much of a generalisation. He gushed about a Bulgarian player – Krum or something – that he was apparently a fan of. While he and Harry forced her to relive every detail of the game with them. She didn't mind as it kept her mind off her misery, which she didn't wish to share with her friends currently. She had watched as Ron's hair positively sparked with excitement. While Harry's eyes glowed with awe at the memory of his first quiddich world cup. She loved how her friends' happiness could be so contagious and consuming. But in that moment, all she wanted was to escape. To be alone, hidden from the world. She took in the violent shades of orange splattered around the room and imagined the fire coming alive to consume her whole. A shudder had run through her.

They were currently sitting in a carriage, just the four of them, on the Hogwarts express sharing the things they had purchased from the confectionary cart.

"…and then the keeper took a ball to the – Mione, what's the matter?"

She had winced involuntarily at the headache that had been building behind her eyes since around five am, and Ron just happened to choose that moment to be vigilant.

"It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired." She really wished he would just go back to his story about the Chudley Canon's latest victory...

"Are you sure?" Ron pushed. She watched as harry dragged his messy raven hair from his face, to get a clearer look at her and immediately felt suffocated. She didn't want the attention.

She stood up, "Actually, I think I'll just go get some air." Before anyone could remark she was out of the sliding door and walking away from it fast as she could. She missed the looks of bewilderment that crossed their faces.

"Blimey, what's going on with her?" Ron's comment was left to dissipate into nothing, in the cool atmosphere Hermione had left behind.

After a few moments she came to a stop outside of a window and began a slightly unnerving argument with herself.

_You know you'll have to tell them sooner or later, right?_

Her head had now begun to throb as her own voice reverberated around her head.

_And until then I shall continue to live in denial. Those were the doctor's orders, right?_

_You're changing and you know it…_

_Everyone fucking changes so why can't I._

_FUCK!_

The pain in her head had rapidly increased, so much so that it was getting hard to see.

_FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK "__FUCK!" The pain began to dull slightly._

"Never thought I'd hear that word from the golden girl's mouth." She could barely recognise the voice through the pain, but the scathing tone and condescending nickname did the trick.

"Go away, Malfoy"

_I need to sit. Or lay._

"That's it? No scornful adjectives? Hateful curses? Are you alright?" she could tell he had his trademark smirk on, but she couldn't possibly care less.

"Go away, Malfoy." she sounded drained.

_Get used to it, you're going to sound like this a lot in the not so far future. _

_"You could at least look at me when addressing me. How very mudblood-esque of you." he was getting frustrated by her lack of response now, aiming below the belt to get a rise out of her. But she didn't think she had anything to give._

_She reached behind her to feel for a wall. Once she found it, she found it she backed into the wall, using it to slide down to the floor with her knees bent so she wasn't in anyone's way. Lest she give anyone else a reason to communicate with her. _

_"Why are you here sulking in hallway? What, did the weasel finally break your heart?" he carried on pushing. _

_She dragged her left hand across her face, trying to spread the pain across the surface so it would hurt less. "Why do you care, Malfoy?" _

_"Becau-"_

_"Draco! Stop wasting your time with the mudblood. Blaise bought a feast of snacks from the cart." she couldn't recognise the simpering voice that interrupted him, again, because of the pain. But if she was to guess she would say Pansy. _

_A few seconds passed before she heard two sets of footsteps retreating. She guessed he was offering her a distasteful sneer, but she did not care. She didn't care about much lately. Yet in this moment, she was eternally grateful to pansy for making the noise stop. _

Ages must have passed until she finally felt the pain begin to desist. Then a few more minutes and her mind was fully clear again. Her once beautiful mind. Her most prized possession tainted by this...

"No." she told herself she wouldn't dwell.

She considered going back to the carriage her friends were in, but she imagined her headache would return full force. So that was out of the question. It was better to hide.

She got up from the ground to find an empty carriage. Once inside she charmed it, so it would look like no one was inside and placed a repellent charm on the door for good measure.

Peace at last.

She lay across the seat, adjusting her skirt to maintain her modesty. The golden trio had taken to changing into their uniform at the burrow, to avoid the queues to the bathroom that came with changing on the train.

Now she was finally alone she thought back to her brief encounter with Malfoy. She placed her forehead against the cool glass of the window and considered his persistency. She wondered why he had been so adamant on talking to her. She was very unresponsive which he should have liked, seeing as he thought she was the dirt beneath his feet. But he had been insistent, and she was sure he would have continued pressing if pansy, or whoever it was hadn't interrupted him. In hindsight, his usually scornful drawl had had a lazy edge to it. Almost as though his heart wasn't in it.

An image of his face formed in her mind. It might have been easier to determine his intentions if she had looked at him at the time. She visualised his shoulders drawn back aristocratically. His head positioned in such a way that he had no choice but to look down at her. His distinguished nose disdainfully sniffing at the air she dared to contaminate. His eyebrows raised in a condescending smirk that tugged at the left corner of his mouth.

Her mind drifted to thoughts of how his features might look when they weren't tainted with contempt for her. She dared to imagine how he would smile down on her if her cared for her. How his rosy lips would curve softly, revealing a perfect set of teeth behind them. She imagined him playfully touching her, caressing her. His fingers faintly dancing to a tune only he could hear. He might replace them with his lips, the faintest of pressure on her rib. But he would decide that her clothes formed too much of a barrier, then his fingers would get back to work. Unbuttoning her ivory Hogwarts shirt. Revealing the Gryffindor red of her lace bra. He might laugh then, at her predictability. A laugh that would light up his eyes. Turning them from hard rods of steel, to endless pools of silver.

The carriage seemed to fog up with her fantasy, as she pictured how he might replace his hands with his mouth again – now he could feel her skin. A sigh left her lips as she imagined the soft kisses he might pepper across her not inconsiderable cleavage. Then he might have employed team work, to release one of her breasts from the confines of her bra. Taking a rosy nipple between his lips with a small tug.

Her eyes snapped open as she realised where her mind had gone. She wondered what it said, that the usual blush did not rise across her face.

_I've been day-dreaming – fantasising – about Malfoy._

She was shocked because… she wanted to continue. She imagined he would be great at that scenario, if the rumours she heard had any semblance of truth to them.

"_We have now arrived at Hogsmeade, for Hogwarts school of Witchcraft a Wizardry. Students may now begin to deboard the train._"

The magically enhanced voice spurred her to get a move on. As she prepared herself to begin the academic year, she decided the prospect of teaching Draco Malfoy that she was a human wasn't so bad.

_It would be a good way to stop myself from dwelling. _She convinced herself.

**So, what do ya think? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I love the characters JK created. **

**Release **

**Chapter 2: Action time.**

Hermione watched as the sorting hat placed an adorable blonde boy in Ravenclaw. She had missed his name because she hadn't been paying attention. But she caught the way his jade eyes glinted in the candle light of the great hall, as his face flushed with delight.

_To be young, with so much to experience. _

"How very Dumbledore of you, Hermione." Harry noted. Hermione jolted, not realising she had spoken aloud.

She was sat beside Harry, with Ron seated opposite them. She watched as a flicker of confusion sparked in the emerald depths of his eyes. Eyes that shone with the purest of love, from his mother's remarkable sacrifice. Love that he shared with her. She wondered if he would still love her, even if he knew what would happen. She blinked then, turning her head to take in the magnificence of the Great Hall.

Thousands of candles, floated above them in what was charmed to look like the beautiful night sky. She watched as the magic moonlight seemed to charmingly waltz through the hall, winking against the Dumbledore's half-crescent glasses. Both her and Harry noted that she didn't answer him.

A final student, Faegan O'connor, took his seat at the Hufflepuff table, marking the end of the sorting ceremony. Dumbledore stood up then, quieting the hall with a swoosh of his periwinkle blue robes.

"The very best of evenings to you! Now… to our new students, Hogwarts bids you the warmest of welcomes. To our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you…" Hermione tuned out the sound of Dumbledore's voice and he introduced each professor. Instead, she allowed her mind to drift again to thoughts Malfoy. She was careful when the fantasy she'd had on the train attempted to surface on the sea of her thoughts. She had to be practical of course, this was neither the time or place for such thoughts to prevail.

She thought instead about the proposal she had made to herself. Teaching Draco Malfoy, that she was human. That she, a mudblood, was a being, just like him, deserving of respect. How would she do it?

_In a way that benefits you, of course. _The voice in her head seemed to have all of the answers. She glanced across the hall, catching Malfoy averting his steely gaze was seated at the slytherin table, flanked on either side by his muddy haired goons, Crabbe and Goyle. In between them, his platinum hair seemed luminous. She wondered what he had been thinking of before she caught him. Were his thoughts as indecent as hers?

_I hope so. _

Maybe she had lost her mind already.

"Without further ado, it is with great pleasure that I introduce the sophisticated students of Beauxbaton Academy of Magic. And their wonderful headmaster, Madame Maxime." Dumbledore announced. Hermione was once again jolted from her thoughts, snapping her head to the right just in time to see the doors to the Great hall open.

A single blue butterfly, the beautiful colour of Dumbledore's robes, glided gracefully into the hall. After a few moments a second one appeared, and then a third. Followed by a girl, though girl is an understatement. Her golden hair seemed to float around her in aura of elegance. Her movements poised enough to break the heart of the most talented ballerina. She was trailed by a collection of impossibly stunning students, all dressed in the same formfitting powder blue uniform. They were a sight to behold. But even more so was the large woman who strode in after them.

"She's huge!" Seamus's eloquent whisper seemed to float in her impressive wake.

The magnificent unit bowed when they reached the front of hall, and there was silence in the hall as Madame Maxine shook Dumbledore's hand. It was only now that Hermione noticed the extra seats at the ends of each table.

The students of Beauxbatons academy each chose a place at their desired table, where they would have all of their meals for the duration of their stay. Most students appeared to favour the Ravenclaw table.

"Next, I ask you all to bid a warm welcome to the students of the Durmstrang Institute. And their headmaster, Professor Karkaroff."

The rumbling rap of a military march seemed to overcome the hall in a frenzy of rhythm. Though equally as captivating, graceful would not be the word Hermione used to describe the Durmstrang entrance.

_Precise, maybe? _She thought, as two rows of students sandwiched a row of marching students, in a dance of athletic gymnastics. They were all dressed in a chocolate coloured uniform, with fur spattered around the collars. It was hard to focus on the appropriate descriptive term for their entrance, as Ron seemed to be on the brink of bursting, in front of her.

"_It's Krum_!" He hissed from across the table

"I can't believe it; Victor Krum is at Hogwarts." He was in awe. Hermione thought it might have been a cute show of admiration if he wasn't practically ogling the boy. However, a quick glance around the hall revealed that Ronald wasn't the only one who was starstruck. She chanced a glance at Malfoy.

Though he seemed relatively interested, it appeared his superior heritage wouldn't allow him to gawk like the others.

Behind the Durmstrang students, a tall, bearded, slippery looking man followed. He held a walking cane that did not look like it was used for it's purpose. She caught a disdainful look in his eye as he passed her seat.

He shook hands with Dumbledore, a crafty smile on his face, and the students took their seats. The Durmstrang students seemed to favour the Slytherin table.

The students of Hogwarts were astounded by their guests to say the least.

"This year Hogwarts will play host to a legendary event: the Triwizard Tournament. During which time a single student shall represent his or her school in a series of magical contests." A string of whispers followed Dumbledore's announcement.

"Eternal glory! That is what awaits the student who wins the tournament." The silence following this statement, however, was palpable. As friends seemed to turn enemy before each other's eyes. Hermione looked at her two mates. She could see the longing in Ron's face, an undeniable desire to be worshipped. Though for his part, Harry seemed like he would gladly give this opportunity for 'eternal glory' a miss.

_Rightly so, he's had enough of that to last him four lifetimes. _

"To do this, that student must survive three punishing tasks."

"Story of our lives aye, Harry?" Ron whispered conspiratorially, and Hermione silently agreed.

"There are rules of course. No student under the age of seventeen may compete." As expected, there was an uproar of disapproval at this.

"TO ENSURE this rule is upheld, submissions will be made through the Goblet of Fire, which will be open from tomorrow."

With a snap of his fingers, a veiled figure could be viewed in front of him. He unravelled it with a flourish, revealing a larger than average chalice erupting with ice blue flames. The students dreams of 'eternal glory' visibly died.

"For now, let us eat and be merry, as we celebrate this glorious occasion. Enjoy!"

Hermione watched as the table filled with all types of food. Ron didn't even wait for all of the food to arrive before he dug in.

"Wha house d'ya reckon our champion'll be in." He said around a mouth of beef wellington. She thought about being disgusted about the way a piece of pastry was transported from his mouth to Neville knuckle 4 seats down.

"I think it'll be a Gryffindor. We are the bravest bunch." He continued with an oily grin.

But then she considered how much appreciation for food was needed to lose all decorum while eating. So she gave it a try. She piled her plate twice as high as Ron's with lamb chops, gravy, vegetables and potatoes.

"Bloody hell 'Mione, are you making another plate for Ron?" Harry asked.

"No, it's mine." Was her simple reply.

"What's gotten into you lately?" He probed.

"Nothing Harry, I'm just hungry today." She directed at the curious looks she was beginning to receive. "Which seventh year do you think will submit their names?" She asked, attempting to change the subject.

It worked as Ron took over. "I reckon Angelina, she'd would do well."

"She's not a seventh year, you twat!" Came Seamus's reply. But she tuned them out to focus on her food. It was an experience, to devour so much food. To feel so many flavours explode on her tongue. Maybe she would do this more often.

* * *

Hermione was laying on her bed, regretting her decision to channel her inner Ronald. How did one function after ingesting so much food?

"Hermione! Your horrific groans are not what I want to hear this evening." Lavender's shrill voice cut through the curtains around her bed.

"You could always put a muffliato up." She countered.

"I shall do no such thing. Why can't you just shut up!"

She groaned in response. This was ridiculous really. How did Ron do this everyday? It was not a good feeling.

_I guess he's had practice. _

She decided this was not an activity she would continue with. If the fact that she could hardly move wasn't reason enough, then her bloated stomach did the trick.

"Merlin Hermione, shut it." Lavender punctuated her sentence by aggressive drawing open her curtains.

"Shut them back, Lavender." Hermione said. She couldn't be arsed with Lavender while fighting a sleep coma.

"No! You need to shut up. I need my pre-beauty sleep rest and your groans are distracting."

"You're going to look exactly the same either way." Hermione said.

"Of course not! If I don't follow the correct steps I might end up looking like you." She shrieked. "And Merlin knows that's not working for you, is it? Miss never had a boyfriend. You're looking extra bloated right now." She finished proudly.

Hermione considered her for a moment. And then she hexed her. She would give her voice back in the morning. Maybe a night of silence would give Lavender time to come up with a more intelligent comeback. With a flick of her wand she closed her curtains and magically sealed them, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next morning, she woke up to Lavender's faces bearing down on her.

"I'm guessing the beauty sleep didn't work?" She snarked. Lavenders face seemed to be turning an unhealthy beet colour. "Oh, that's right, I have your voice! Silly me." She was finding a little too much glee in Lavenders suffering, though Lavender clearly disagreed.

Regretfully, she released the girls voice.

"You'll regret that, Hermione. Myself and Ron will make sure of that." She sniffed turning to exit their shared room.

_Ron? _

She didn't dwell on Lavender's nonsense though. It was the first day of school, so she was excited. She wondered what Hogwarts had in-store for her this year.

_The last time. _She thought, though she didn't appreciate the constant reminders from the voice in her head. She thought again about her pet project. She had so much to do and not enough time. She would need to start by getting Malfoy to be pleasant towards her, which would be a serious feat. But she was sure once she had achieved that, things would be smooth sailing. So how would she make that first step.

She thought again to their conversation on the train, then an idea came to mind.

_You could apologise for shutting him down? _

_No, that sounds like grovelling. _

_You could just walk up to him and kiss him? Get straight to the point?_

The voice was met with silence.

_Okay, how about a thank you? For deigning to care about a mudblood. _

A thank you seemed like a good place to start. Then she would have to wing it. She'd much rather plan every detail, but in her experience, conversations were much too unpredictable for that. So she would have to depend on Malfoys response to her. She would corner him, when he wasn't surrounded by Slytherin's. She couldn't see her conversation going well with a group of pretentious Slytherin's observing.

_It's a plan! _

She was nervous, but excited. This was going to be an interesting year. Not unlike her last three.

* * *

She was humming a small tune to herself as she headed towards the common room exit, when Harry cornered her.

"Hermione, we're talking about what's going on with you. Right now." She looked around the common room, it was empty as she had woken up early. Most students we're probably only considering waking up now.

"Nothing, Harry I tol-"

"-Bullshit." He interrupted her. "There's something going on. You've been out of sorts since you got to the burrow."

Anxiety began to brew in her chest. "I- I'm not ready to talk about- where's Ron?"

"He's still asleep, but don't try to change the subject. We're talking about this"

"You woke up early to ask me about this?"

She was met with a stern look and she groaned, "Harry, I'm not ready yet. Believe me when I say I will tell you, I have no choice really, but just not yet. I don't want to think about it."

He regarded her with his intuitive eyes for a few moments. She thought he might continue to press, but he seemed to respect her wishes.

"Can you at least tell me if you're okay?"

"I'm- I will be." She finally said, with more conviction than she felt.

He wordlessly pulled her in for a hug. It was a tight and reassuring hug, worth a million words. After a while of comfort, they broke apart and agreed to head down for breakfast. They had settled into a comfortable silence as they walked down the changing staircase. "Thank you, Harry."

"Whatever it is Hermione, you know I'll be here for you. Me and Ron." She smiled then. She should never doubt Harry's love for her.

* * *

Hermione collected her things to head down to the great hall. She thought her timetable for the term was organised quite suitably. She had a few free periods, which were great for library sessions. She had just had a single session of muggle studies, followed by a double period of potions. She should have been getting ahead on the potions essay they were soon to be set on Bezoar's, but Harry and Ron had been unrelenting in their pursuit.

They wanted to spend their free period in the great hall observing who attempted to put their names in the Goblet of Fire, which she thought was fine. They were at complete liberty to spend their time however they liked. The issue was that they did not offer her the same respect. Nonetheless, she had compromised, she would spend half of her free period in the library after which she would meet them in the great hall. That was what she was preparing to do now.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the library's exit. She had only made it a few steps though, when she noticed the platinum head that had plagued her most recent thoughts. He was sitting alone at the table, with a single book before him.

_As luck would have it…_

She steeled herself and walked the short distance to his desk. He looked up then, as she took the seat opposite him, ensnaring her in his silver gaze. Neither said anything for a moment.

"I just wanted to thank you, Malfoy. For your concern towards me on the train." She uttered eventually. She was apparently losing her resolve.

"I can assure you Granger, I felt no concern towards you. Mild interest might be more appropriate." He countered.

"Still, it seemed to matter to you whether I was alright or not. And I appreciate that." She had to play her cards right, but she was grasping at straws. He could easily insult her at this very moment and her project would be set back. She had to make sure she said the right things. She had to make him want to speak to her. She bowed her head slightly, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Even seated as they were he was still significantly taller than her.

After observing her for a second, he finally responded. "Now I'm positive the weasel broke your heart. Only heartbreak can make a girl's countenance change so drastically."

"That… that is strangely perceptive of you, Malfoy. You're only partly right though. I have had had my heart broken, but not by something as frivolous as a teenage boy."

"So, what then?"

"I thought you weren't concerned?"

"I'm not, but I'd like to know what could have been so formidable to break the supposedly 'Brightest Witch of our Age."

"I didn't think you paid me enough attention to notice a change in me."

"I don't notice you."

"Of course not." She agreed. There was a brief silence, as both took in the other.

"I'm leaving now." He picked up his book and left.

Was it too soon to note that he hadn't called her a mudblood?

As she walked down the comforting corridors of Hogwarts, she ran her fingers across the stone walls. She was lost for a moment in nostalgic thoughts of her adventures within these walls.

* * *

**What do you guys think? **

**Slightly longer chapter, going to keep trying to build them up. I should have mentioned this will be a slow(ish) burn. But don't worry, much more Dramione to come.**

**Big shout out to Release's first reviewer MoonLitCelestial! I'd like to dedicate this chapter to you. **

**Thank you for all the follows!**

**Hermione and Draco send their love x. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: H.P is owned by J.K.R.**

**Release**

**Chapter 3: Oh, to dream… **

"Finally! So much for half of your period Hermione." She had barely walked through the doors of the Great Hall when Ron cajoled her.

"Well, what have I missed?" She asked. She sat on one of the benches she assumed had been magicked to accommodate the spectators, pulling out the book she had checked out of the library; The Alchemists Guide to Cures. As she opened her book, she took in the crowd that had gathered. They were scattered around the hall. Some were standing in small groups, while others sat on the bleacher-style benches lining the walls. Predictably, there had been a huge turnout; though there weren't any Durmstrang or Beauxbatons students gathered. In the centre of the hall, presumably moved by Dumbledore, stood the Goblet of Fire. The blue flames erupting from it licked across its frame, hissing and spitting as though begging for the student's attention. It was surrounded by a holographic ring, which Hermione assumed was to keep out under aged students.

"Not much, couple of Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's have put their names in. No one surprising really." He informed her. Harry sat beside her, nudging her shoulder by way of greeting.

It was what she had expected. Who in their right mind would to counter a charm set by Dumbledore?

"_We've done it!" _Came the sing song response of the only boys who might dare to try. Hermione couldn't actually see them over the heads of everyone clamouring to see what their solution was. She knew, however, that whatever it was wouldn't work.

"_It's not going to work!" _She matched their singsong tone, not looking up from her book.

She jumped slightly as one of the twins popped up behind her. "And why not, pray tell?" came George's reply from behind her. She was just about to turn around and answer him when she jumped again as Fred popped up in front of her.

"Yeah, why not?" Fred reiterated. She slammed her book shut in response before answering.

"You can't possibly believe you've thought of something clever enough, to fool Dumbledore's brilliant mind."

"That's just it Hermione, our idea is so spectacularly UNbrilliant, that it becomes Brilliant by default." George told her.

"That's right folks," Fred continued, pulling a vial from his robes. "This right here is our ticket to _eternal glory!_"

"Get a load of this guy." Ron snarked

"It's an age potion," George continued, ignoring him. "We're just gonna grow a bit!" He finished with a smile.

"Why would you want to speed up the ageing process? Shaving time off your life, so you can compete in a competition? That is absolutely absurd." Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered her bossy tone. There was no taking it back now, though.

"Thank you for the lecture Hermione, but it's only a few months!" He countered. "Besides, age is but a number." He ended, for her ears only.

She huffed in response. While she didn't appreciate her valuable lectures being ignored, there was something in George's tone that reminded her of-

_Flirting? _

But that couldn't be right, this was George she was talking about. She brushed the awkward thought off. While she had been musing, the twins had linked arms, believing their thought process had bested hers. She still didn't think their plan would work but she let them be. They would realise soon enough.

"Bottoms up!" They sang in unison. They then both took a sip from their vial. There were a few seconds of silence from the crowd, while their potion took effect. Though seemingly nothing happened, the pair jeered in appreciation and they made their way to the Goblet. After successfully passing they age line, the twins threw their names into the flames, to the tune of cheers from the spectating students.

Hermione watched as the flames ecstatically engulfed the two pieces of parchment. Working from the edges to the middle, until there was nothing left. She watched as the twins revelled in their success, leaving the confines of the age line. She also watched as the flames, in a show of disgust, regurgitated the parchment. Spitting the charred remains at the boys faces. As the parchment slipped from their foreheads, it was replaced with a glaring and red imprint of the number 16. Their hair grew and whitened before her eyes and they somehow spouted a beard.

"I think this is the appropriate time to say, I told you so." She said, smiling sweetly. She was awarded a chorus of laughter.

"Now you get why we always listen to 'Mione." Harry added.

"Come on then," came the helpful hand of Angelina, "lets get you both to the hospital wing." She said, linking arms with them both.

In that moment, a hush seemed to fall over the crowd. Hermione craned her neck from where she sat, to see what the commotion was. It was the Krum boy Ron was obsessed with. He had entered the hall flanked by some other Durmstrang boys, but also Malfoy, Zabini and Nott; she couldn't quite remember all of their first names. Though he followed within the group, Malfoy still managed to exude a regal aura. Hermione wondered when he had gotten so tall. Loosely following them were the fifth year Slytherin girls.

"I bet he'll be chosen for Durmstrang." Ron whispered.

Krum, walked over to the Goblet and seemed to examine the ring that surrounded it. The remaining boys drifted to one side of the hall, collecting themselves in a group. She assumed to discuss how far beneath them, the rest of them were. Hermione had turned back to her book, prepared to block out the racist energy that had just entered the room, when she felt the bench dip as someone sat. She looked up and realised that the _someone's _happened to be none other than Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. She narrowed her eyes slightly at their odd seating choice, preparing herself for the inevitable conflict they brought.

"I see your muddy eyes are all dried up Granger, make up with your bloodtraitor BF?" Pansy snarked. Though a thousand emotions and thoughts should have been running through Hermione's head at the comment, she could only think two thoughts.

_Who uses acronyms in real life? And why does everyone think Ron is my boyfriend? _

"Really Parkinson, the English language is not that difficult. You can use full words. And you can stop bobbing your head at her every word, Bulstrode. You look like a pigeon." She was sick of it really and she would much rather the girls mind their own business. Her response might have been cattier than she had liked, but she didn't care. She noticed the slytherin boys begin to close in around them, and felt Ron move closer to where she and Harry sat.

"Why don't you snakes piss off?" Ron spat in the Slytherin's direction.

"Aww how sweet, weasels defending his _GF. _And I'll have you know I can use whichever terminology I like, _mudblood." _Pansy countered. Hermione could feel Ron's rage building beside her and watched as Pansy flicked her hair in triumph. One of the strands grazed Malfoy's robes, which he didn't seem pleased by.

"Watch it, Pans." He stated in a cool voice. It was odd to witness the look of apprehension that over took Pansy's face as she apologised. Hermione took in Malfoys face, he seemed to have gained control over the situation and she thought their band might dissipate with little challenge. That is, if Ron could read the situation like her.

"That's right Ferret, reign in your pets." Ron threw in. At this point Harry stood and Hermione realised any chance of avoiding a duel has apparated out of the castle.

"Reign! That's a big word for you." Malfoy noted.

"Shut up!" Ron spat, and he drew out his wand.

"Careful there Weasley, before you start vomiting s-" Zabini started, drawing his wand. Nott followed suit.

"Slugs? yeah we get it. Have you guys considered trying a new joke?" Harry interrupted him, pulling his own wand out.

There was a moment of silence as the two groups sized each other up.

"Why do you swear?" Came the unlikely voice of Krum. It was as gruff as expected, coated in a heavy eastern European accent.

Malfoy pushed his hands arrogantly into his trouser pockets with a noncommittal shrug. "Krum's right, this lot isn't worth it. Did you put your name in?" He directed the question at Krum, who gave a gruff nod. "Great, lets go then."

"Not quite yet, the mudblood deserves a little hex from me." Pansy countered, eyeing Hermione with a malicious look.

Malfoy's eyes graze over Hermione for a split second. "Now, Pans." He said, turning to lead their group out of the hall. Pansy shot her a final hateful look before she and Bulstrode scurried behind Malfoy.

"I swear, I hate that lot!" Ron spat after they had left. Harry nodded his agreement.

"I can't believe Krum would hang out with them either. He clearly can't tell the right sort." Harry added.

Hermione sighed her agreement. She was beginning to think she had her work cut out for her with this project. She couldn't even be in the same room as him, without he or his friends starting an argument with her. She was started to really feel out of her depth.

"Come on guys, we've got introduction to Astronomy." She told them, putting her book in her bag.

"With the Slytherin's." Harry added, followed by a long-suffering groan from Ron.

* * *

"The stars tell tales that we cannot begin to imagine. The biggest of them all, our sun, lays the foundation for our truth. And floating among these stars are planets, each of which composes a different story for every individual. For instance, Venus tells tales of true love and companionship. Be it lover or friend, Venus can help us define those relationships. Whereas Mars rules that which pleasures us. Our deepest darkest desires can be found in Mars, with only a brief glance. And let us yet consider our moon, emotive and compassionate. Expressing that which moves our hearts. The mother within us. To look to the stars is to obtain true knowledge." Professor Sinistra painted a beautiful picture.

It was difficult to not become enraptured in astronomy class, even before the work began. Hermione looked around the room and saw similar looks of awe across the majority of student faces. Except, of course, the usual suspects. For example, Ron looked completely checked out of the room, from where he and Harry sat at the desk beside her. Her eyes landed on Malfoy, as they regularly did these days, noting that he seemed to be engaged in the class. He was sat beside Zabini at his desk, but the desks surrounding him seemed to also consist of Slytherin's. She was surprised, he seemed to be the only one of his group of fiends who wasn't uninterested in Sinistra's lectures.

"This term, you'll be working in pairs to draw up a birth chart." Excited whispers broke out across the room, at the prospect of doing a piece of work with your friend. Hermione felt Ron's eyes land on her from his seat beside Harry at the next desk. But she kept her eyes trained on Sinistra. As much as she wanted to cherish this last year with her friends, she didn't feel like doing all their school work for them.

"The charts must depict which constellation the sun, the moon and each planet in the galaxy was in, at the time of your partners birth. Also, they be completed by the end of the term. Oh yes! I almost forgot. It's been brought to my attention that there are a few… slackers in this class. For that reason, I'll be assigning your partners to you. I expect each student to be fully engaged in this task as next the next task will be an essay on the work you have done." Sinistra added, elevating a piece of parchment with a flick of her wand. A few shoulders slumped, though a few hopeful looks remained.

"When I call your name, move to sit beside your partner." Hermione was somewhat pleased by this turn of event. Hogwarts professors usually left students to their own choices, so long as the work was submitted.

"Brown and Crabbe, Bulstrode and Finnigan." The sounds of chairs scraping across the ground could be heard as students unwillingly trudged to sit beside their new partners.

"Greengrass and Potter, Zabini and Patil, Parkinson and Weasley, Granger and Malfoy."

Hermione didn't know whether fate was on her side or the odds were stacked against her. But she would be spending this term with with Malfoy. Possibly in more ways than one. She looked around for Malfoy again, catching his eye. Neither of them had moved and Hermione didn't want to be the one to give in. So she turned back to the parchment she had been scribbling on, preparing to spend this session working alone. Therefore, she was utterly surprised when the seat beside her that had been previously occupied by Pavarti made an annoyed screech as Malfoy pulled it out. She watched as he took his seat, speechless for a moment.

"Four months of your Gryffindor stubbornness? Colour me delighted." He started, not looking at her as he laid his course materials on the desk.

"If you thought I was going to willingly walk into your group of followers, then you clearly haven't met me." She countered, following suit as she turned away from him

They had been set their work during normal lesson hours but would have to wait until midnight to actually study the constellations. So their astronomy lessons would be for research and planning their late night sessions.

"If you hadn't noticed, all of our seats have been reassigned. Which I suspect is due to you always doing Weasley and potters work. So there is no group of followers."

"I'm not here to argue with you Malfoy, we have a task to do. So let's focus on that."

"It would seem the trick is boredom." Malfoy snided.

"Trick to what?" Hermione questioned.

"To being named the brightest witch of your age. You bore people to death until they grant you the title. There you can have it, bookworm." Malfoy answered. Hermione bristled, feeling colour rise to her cheeks at the slight.

"I'm not boring, I'm focused. Which you'll do well to be also." She finally responded.

_What a twat._ The voice in her head agreed with her. She couldn't believe this was the person she has set her sights of redemption on. A self-righteous-

_Git _

Draco made a disappointed sigh, flicking to a page in the book.

"Well there's not much I'd like to learn about you, so I think I'll do my own chart." Malfoy snubbed

"That's not how this is going to work." Hermione countered, sliding a sheet of parchment across the table to him. "Here's a list of questions I'll need you to answer, and I'll do the same. I believe you'll have to owl your parents for some of the finer details, like your time of birth. They'll need to be specific if we want accurate results." Malfoy looked at the parchment for a second? Before pushing it to the ground.

"No thanks, bossy pants." Hermione watched as the parchments floated in the air for a second, as though as shocked as she was, before settling on the ground before their desk.

"If I'm stubborn, you're childish." She replied, rising to pick the parchment up and reposition it before him. As she rose again, the bell rang signalling the end of class and students began to pack their things. "Anyway, you'll do this if you don't want _daddy _moaning that you were bested by me again." She finished collecting her bag and study equipment before heading to the door.

"You'll regret that, Mudblood!" Malfoy called after her.

She barely caught Sinistra chiding him as she was already out of the door. She could imagine the rage on Harry and Ron's faces in her wake, but she paid it no mind. They could deal with the Slytherins if they liked. She had her own work cut out for her. She could feel a headache coming along as she rushed to get back to her dorm. Maybe she could sort it out before dinner.

* * *

There was an electrified chatter that filled the great hall. After dinner, the triwizard champions would be announced and students – and professors – were practically glowing with excitement. Seamus was taking bets from their fellow fifth years, over who they thought the Hogwarts champion would be. Roger Davies was unwittingly in the lead. Hermione listened to them drabble with mild interest while picking at her food. She was still a bit put off after her food coma the night before.

"Come on Harry, you really think a Hufflepuff will be chosen over a Ravenclaw? Come off it." Ron pushed.

"You've seen Diggory do magic, he's pretty talented. I'm sticking by my choice mate." Harry was adamant.

"Look Harry, you've got to bet smart. A Galle-"

"Hi Ron…" Lavender interrupted in an oddly sultry voice. She had walked over from where she had been seated a few seats down. The boys' discussion paused suddenly as they waited to find out what she wanted. Hermione wasn't sure if it was her northern accent that made her pronounce her R's as W's, or if she thought it was endearing. Either way, it wasn't cute.

"Um hey Lavender." Ron replied. Hermione watched their interaction with narrowed eyes. Was this what she had meant?

"I was wondering Ron, if we might be able to have a chat?" Ron shot a bewildered look at Harry, who responded with barely concealed amusement. "In private." She continued after he didn't respond.

"Yeah-yes um after dinner? We can chat in the common room." He answered.

Her nervous demeanour immediately dissipated. "Perfect! It's a date." She said, turning to go back to her seat.

Ron's face took on a pink hue, which was only deepened with Seamus' unnecessary comment of -

"Weasley's got him self a girlfriend!" Which was met with jeers from Harry and Dean.

"Stop making fun of him." Hermione defended with a small giggle.

"Yeah! Sod off, the lot of you. Thanks 'Mione." He added. They easily fell back into a light-hearted conversation.

After a while their plates were cleared, and Dumbledore was standing with his arms spread, in an effort to quiet the hall.

"Firstly, I'd like to introduce our new defence against the dark teacher, Professor Moody!" Dumbledore began as a side door beside the teacher's desk was aggressively opened. "Please excuse his tardiness, as he had an urgent matter to deal with for me." In walked an odd-looking man, in torn and scruffy robes with a limp in his gait. One of his eyes was prosthetic and unnervingly swivelled around the room apparently of its own accord as he took a seat beside professor Snape.

"Next, if you would all welcome Sir Bartemius Crouch." He continued, punctuated by the entrance of a prestigious looking man through the same door. "who will be assisting in the judgement of the tournament." Light applause scattered around the hall.

"Now, with our stomachs full, I think this is the most appropriate time to say: Let the games begin!" He announced, pulling the veil off the Goblet of fire with a flourish. The hall was deadly silent as he magicked the first name out of the cup. A powder blue slip of parchment that what burnt around the edges landed in his outstretched palm.

"The Beauxbaton champion for this year is Miss Fleur Delacour!" He announced to the tune of polite applause and cheers from Beauxbaton students.

After repeating his actions, he revealed that the Durmstrang champion would be none other than Mr Victor Krum.

"And finally, the Hogwarts champion is Mr Cedric Diggory!" Or so he thought.

"Bloody 'ell Harry, how lucky can you be?" Ron called through the Hogwarts students cheers.

As the champions gathered at the teachers table preparing to exit through the side door that Crouch and Moody had just entered through, the Goblet began to splutter and spit out tiny blue flames. As the hall silenced once again it spat out a slip of parchment, which Dumbledore caught in a surprisingly quick reflex.

"…Harry Potter." He mumbled. There was a sudden shift, as the silence shifted from confused to hostile.

"HARRY POTTER." Dumbledore roared. Hermione quickly gathering her own shock, turned to a flabbergasted Harry and immediately decided he couldn't have put him name in the Goblet. For one thing, when would he have had the time? She was fairly certain she knew exactly how he had spent the whole day – messing about with Ron. Furthermore, she had seen his face when Dumbledore announced the tournament, he could barely be classed an interested. There was no way he had any part in this. She nudged him, nonetheless. They would sort this out once they had more information.

"That's you Harry!" She whispered urgently. "You need to go!" He stood on shaky legs, barely managing to walk towards the other champions, as he took in the shocked expressions of the students who filled the hall.

Hermione found that as he school year started, they were prone to forgetting what Hogwarts truly held for them. Amidst the joy and comradery from friends who had missed each other, in their home which welcomed them with opened arms. Yet within its population an evil dwelled, which seemed intent on destroying Harry. And just like the last few years, they'd be damned if they let it.

* * *

That night after dinner, Hermione felt beside herself with worry as she waited for Harry. He had been taken into the back room through the mysterious door by the teachers table and had yet to return.

It was way passed curfew and she had not had the chance to speak with Ron, as he had been cornered by Lavender as soon as they passed through the fat lady portrait. Not in the mood for Lavenders terrible mispronunciations she had retired to her room almost instantly. When she re-entered the common room, it was completely empty. She was annoyed because she thought Ron would have been waiting for her to return, so they could discuss who had set Harry up like this. And there was no one who she could ask to go up and call for him. So, as usual she had to do all the thinking herself.

She paced up and down the small common space, considering the options but kept coming up blank. The usual suspect, of course was Voldemort, but she couldn't figure out how he had managed to do it. Her brain was working overtime with worry and confusion and she was exhausted. How could the ghost of a man reek such havoc in their lives?

She could feel a headache coming along and collapsed into the arm chair closest to the entrance, prepared to wait for Harry's return.

_I'll just rest my eyes for a bit._

* * *

"_And you say you've been having these headaches for over a month now, miss Granger?" The healer asked._

"_Yes sir." She replied. Her parents were fretting beside her as they always did when they entered the wizarding world, and the healer's stoic expression did nothing to soothe them. It was hard not to feel out of place when you everyone looked at you like a freak-show. 's was one of the nicer environments though, walking through Diagon Alley, was a whole other experience._

"_And you haven't noticed any changes in your magic recently?"_

"_No, sir." She replied automatically. He had been through these questions with her already, twice, and conducted a magical examination. She wanted a diagnosis. She had read all the books and was struggling to narrow down the possibilities, she only had one symptom after all. Headaches in a varying degree of intensity. The muggle doctors had told her they were migraines, but it felt more magical to Hermione, so she had suggested a trip to 's with her parents._

"_Miss Granger, this is very difficult for me to say. We in the healer community have heard of how brilliant your mind is. You have truly earned your title as the most brilliant witch of your age. But I am afraid my examination has revealed an incurable curse festering in your brain." Hermione's heart sunk as she recalled a passage she had read in a book, while researching the possible root of her affiliation._

"_Which curse is it?" Hermione asked, even as she dreaded the answer._

"_Miss Granger, you have the plague of Malum Morbum" _

* * *

"'Mione… 'Mione wake up!" Harry called as he shook her. "You're having a nightmare!"

"Wha- Harry?! Are you okay? What happened?

"It's not good news." He said with a grim expression.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the wait guys! I wanted to move the story a bit passed the introductory chapters. So, from here on out you can expect updates every 2-3 weeks max.**

**Anyway, review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry it's so late! Without much further ado:**

**Disclaimer: I wonder if J.K.R knows how obsessed I am with her characters **

**Release**

**Chapter 4: The Question of Friendship **

Harry had returned to the Gryffindor common room frazzled to say the least. The whole situation had been nightmarish.

"Are you alright, 'Mione?" He pressed her.

She opened her mouth to give an automatic response, but he cut her off.

"And don't just say you're fine. I know you're not ready to talk about… whatever it is that's going on with you, but we can talk about my situation in the morning if you need to sleep it off."

She felt a tug of affection in her heart at Harry's words. He was a true friend. She offered him a smile. "Don't worry Harry, I really am okay. Let's talk about the tournament. This is a serious matter and I wouldn't be able to sleep with it on my mind anyway."

"Alright, where's Ron?" He asked, after he felt sure she was being honest.

"I missed him earlier. I think he went up to your dorm. Do you think he's asleep?" She considered. "What time is it?"

They both turned to look at the gold rimmed clock perched above the common room entrance. Quarter to 12. It was late but hardly.

"Yeah, he probably is." Harry sighed.

"Okay, we'll update him in the morning then. Tell me what happened. Do you have any idea how your name got in the goblet? What did Dumbledore say?" Hermione questioned.

"I have no clue 'Mione. But I don't think whoever did it was hoping I'd win the tournament." Harry answered.

"Do you think it has something to do with Voldemort?"

"You mean like every other terrible thing that's happened to us here at Hogwarts?" He asked sarcastically. "I'd considered it. I don't know, I'm really struggling to make the link. Apart from the obvious bit, you know, that he wants me dead. But he usually tries to do that himself doesn't he?"

"Yeah, this doesn't seem much his style." She agreed.

"Unless he's planning to mask as one of the creatures I'll undoubtedly come in contact with during the tournament." Harry supplied.

"You can't possibly be considering competing Harry! Have you not heard how dangerous the tasks are? Did you not hear Dumbledore's speech?"

"I have no choice Hermione! Dumbledore and that crouch guy said that once my name entered the goblet, it was like I'd signed a binding contract. If I don't compete, I'll die anyway. Kind of like the unbreakable vow I guess." Harry paraphrased the information he had gathered earlier that night.

"That is absurd, surely there has to be a loophole! You didn't put your name in the goblet yourself. That's practically a forged signature!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Well wizarding rules are a bit different when it comes to contracts of this nature." He murmured in response. There was a moment of silence as the gravity of the situation weighed on them both.

"Wait, you've been gone for ages. Is that all that happened?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that Rita Skeeter woman, author in the daily prophet," he reminded her, and she nodded. "She interviewed us _champions_ for an article." He stared off into space as he remembered a seemingly traumatic event.

"I don't think I'll much like the article." He concluded.

Hermione, shrugging off his strange behaviour, continued questioning him. "Do you know when the first task is?"

"Halloween." He answered simply.

"That's so soon! Do you know what it will be?"

He shook his head, still staring into space. "No clue."

"We'll have to go to the library," she continued, speaking more to herself. "Maybe we can establish a pattern based on the occurrences in previous tournaments. There's no way we can let you go in blindsided Harry! You're competing against wizards with years of experience on you. We need to get a leg up in anyway we can. I think research is the best way to start. They'll all be cocky and assured in their experience- "

"Well can we start tomorrow? I feel like my brain is dead." Harry cut in suddenly.

She faltered, "I- of course Harry. I don't think we have the same free periods tomorrow, but I'll get started on my breaks. And then we can discuss our plans moving forward at lunch." He nodded in response.

"Don't worry, Harry. You aren't in this alone. We'll pull through like we always do."

"Thanks 'Mione."

"Good night."

"Night" he replied, turning to walk up the stairs to the fifth-year boys dorm.

Alone again, Hermione's brain was too chaotic for her to consider going to sleep. It was all too much. It was… bleak. She couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. But she'd be damned if she didn't find it. She just… she needed a break. She was practically brimming with tension.

_I need a release. _

She glanced at the clock again, quarter passed midnight. It still wasn't too late, just late enough that hopefully nobody would be in the halls. After glancing around the common room once more to make sure she was alone, she headed out of the portrait door. Whispering tiny apologies to a disgruntled Fat lady, she proceeded down the changing staircases, as inconspicuously as she could manage. She was hoping to go out onto the grounds but decided she wouldn't risk trying to open the grand doors. Instead, she decided the astronomy tower would be an appropriate alternative.

As she ascended the tower steps, she tried to quiet the thoughts racing through her mind.

_Three dangerous tasks _

_Eternal Glory! _

_Malum Morbum!_

Would she make it?

Before the plague truly encompassed her mind, could she save her friend? Before the evil set in, distorting her brilliance, warping her reality, destroying her dreams.

Was there enough time?

She climbed the final step of the staircase, taking a deep inhale of the crisp night air. There was something impossibly mystical about the astronomy tower. Though she wasn't one to dabble in the untestable arts, there was something almost spiritual about it. The air here was different, it had a strong cleansing quality.

She took a few steps towards the bannister, allowing her eyes to drift shut as she placed her hands upon them. Her thoughts began to quiet, settling on her new affliction. Taking deep breathes in time with shifts in the wind, she felt a sense of weightlessness begin to overcome her.

Had she not been lost to reality, she might have noticed the faint platinum glow barely concealed by the shadows. Or maybe if her eyes had been opened, she might have noticed the way molten silver eyes followed the rise and fall of her chest as she evened her breath. Nonetheless, Hermione would soon note the importance of vigilance, especially in the dark.

"You're following me." A voice called within the shadows

Hermione froze for a split second before turning around. She took in the features her ignorance had previously kept from her.

"You're the one skulking in the shadows, I should be asking you that.

"I'm not skulking, Malfoy's do not "skulk"." He emphasised.

"I'm fairly certain what you're doing right now" she said, gesturing in his direction. "Is defined as skulking."

He stepped forward, leaving the cover of the darkness and she took in the features of this boy she had set her friendship sights on. The way the moonlight seemed to reflect against his platinum crown. His molten eyes which pierced into her, withholding a story from her. The aristocratic point of his nose, which coupled with his regal stance masked what she thought might be his true personality. Since making her decision to 'work on' Malfoy, she had been making a lot of assumptions about him. But try as she might, she couldn't believe 'regal' constituted as a personality type. Did it? She was curious.

"Well what are you doing here then?" He asked her.

She considered answering him for a moment. "Why do you think I'm here?"

She thought he might say something stupid or rude which might end the conversation, but he surprised her.

"I think you're either here to mope about the weasel. That or something pathetically girlish like looking at the stars." He finished, offering her an accomplished smirk.

"Why are all of you Slytherins obsessed with the idea of mine and Ron's relationship?" She questioned him.

"Trust me, it's not an obsession. But there isn't a joke that beats the train wreck that is that relationship." Malfoy answered.

"And you would know this, of course, because you know so much about myself and Ron which tells you everything about our compatibility. Oh wait! That couldn't be right, because you don't actually know me." She emphasised.

"I've known you for more than five years." He argued.

"You've known _of me _for five years, but we've never had a conversation civil enough to be classed as _getting to know me._" She intoned.

"I know what you're about. You're all about books. I've been sat behind you for enough years to know that." Malfoy countered.

"Oh? Then you've been secretly studying me these past few years?" Cane her sarcastic response.

"Of course not." Came his immediate response.

"Why can't you just admit that you don't know me." She didn't know why she was confronting him like this. But she wanted to get through to him. Maybe if he would accept this, he would become more open to getting to know her. If only to form an educated opinion about her.

Instead of responding though, Malfoy simply glared in her direction.

"I don't know anything about you. Bar the fact that you think you better than me because both of your parents are wizards." She pushed.

An awkward silence stretched between them, until Malfoy surprised her again by breaking it.

"What then? You're here to gaze as the stars? Admire the moon?" Hermione almost didn't accept the change in conversation, but instead she turned back towards the bannister.

"The stars do look beautiful… but no. I'm here to think. Or at least I was… And yourself?" She attempted at conversation.

"None of your business." He deadpanned.

"You've had so many questions for me. It's only fair you answer some of mine." She tried.

"What's your game here granger? Why are you being so… civil towards me?

"That would be two more questions." She said, holding two fingers up as she spun back to his direction.

Glaring at her again, he reluctantly answered. "Fine, I'm here to think. Just like you. Ready to share your master plan then?"

"No plan." She lied. "I'm just growing as a person. Entering adulthood if you would. You should try it."

He smirked at her, a knowing looking clouding his eyes. "That's fine Granger. I'll figure you out, I'm sure it won't be hard. As intellectual as you may be, your kind are simple by nature."

Hermione considered being offended, but she thought he might have complimented her, which stumped her.

The unlikely pair regarded each other. Until Malfoy was the first to speak again. "As fun as this weird encounter has been," he started sarcastically. "I'll be off now. But before I leave I figure we should set a schedule to complete our astronomy project. We can meet here after lessons tomorrow, once it's dark enough. I'll get us a permission slip from Sinistra."

Surprised at how organised he was being, Hermione simply nodded.

"Make sure you leave your pets at home." He added referring to her friends.

Then he left without another word. She listened as his footsteps faded to silence and took a deep breath.

"So much for clearing my head." She spoke to herself. Her interaction with Malfoy had left her as strung – if not more so – than before. She took one look around the tower, _admiring the moon _as Malfoy had so eloquently put it. He had surprised her, he seemed… different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but he wasn't the same boy she had grown up with.

_Like you asked him, how well did you 'know' that Malfoy anyway. _

The voice in her head supplied. It was right, how well did she know this boy she had decided to change.

_And who says you can change people anyway? _

_I guess you wanted to change his _perspective _more so than _him.

The voice seemed to be battling itself in her head, and she decided clarity of mind would not be achieved that night. With a final sigh, she began the cautious trip back to her dorm. She decided to place a disillusionment charm on herself this time around. She didn't think it wise risking being caught by Filch.

As she traipsed back to her dorm, with a thousand more thoughts than she had left with, she couldn't help but wonder again, would she have enough time?

* * *

Hermione rolled over onto her side, peaking at the clock on her bedside table through one eye.

_Time to get up_

She sighed. She had spent ages trying to fall asleep the previous night. The thoughts in her head seemed to take over, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not ignore them. She wasn't quite sure when she did manage to fall asleep, but she was sure it was well into the early hours of the morning if the lightening sky was anything to go by. She let out a huge yawn as she climbed out from the covers, rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes. A moment later, she left the protection of the curtains around her bed and made her way to the bathroom shared by the fifth-year girls. It was a testament to how late she was, that Lavender and Parvati had left before she woke, so she decided to dress a little quicker. After making sure the buttons on her shirt were done correctly, she pulled her pullover on. Ready to take on the day, she grabbed her cloak and bag and proceeded to the great hall.

She noticed how empty the halls were and took the chance to put a tight cap over her thoughts. It wouldn't do to explode a bout of word vomit over the first person who pissed her off. The buzzing of student conversation grew as the approached the great hall doors and taking a final deep breath she pushed them open. She spotted Harry first and walked over to sit beside him.

"Hey." She greeted him. "Where's Ron?"

"I've no clue." Harry answered, taking a bite into some toast.

"Did you tell him we needed to discuss what happened last night?" She asked.

"No, I haven't seen him today."

"What?"

"Yeah, he was gone before I woke up. I thought I might find him here, but I've been here a while and haven't seen him."

Hermione's shock rendered her speechless. She thought Ron would be bursting at the seams to find out what came of Harry being chosen to compete in the tournament. But if that wasn't enough the one thing you could count on Ron for, was to be where the food was. And right now, she couldn't think of anything he would deem more important by food.

"How odd." She finally concluded.

"Yup." Harry added simply.

"Aren't you concerned? This is Ron we're talking about. He's usually here until all the food is gone." She asked.

"He'll turn up, can't have gone too far can he."

"I guess..." She considered.

"You're up late." He noted, taking a moment from his food to glance at her. "Are- "

"I'm fine, I was just a bit tired Harry."

"Sure?" He pressed lightly

"Positive."

"Alright. How ready are you for potions?"

"Fairly. And you?"

"Not even slightly." He said, grinning at her.

"Really Harry, what am I going to do with you?" She said smiling slightly.

* * *

Hermione entered the great hall again and immediately began scanning the room, looking for her two best mates. She'd had a productive morning and was hoping they would agree to a quick lunch, so they could use the rest of the hour for a bit of a library session. They could start triwizard tournament prep for Harry, but also it felt like ages since she had last seen Ron.

Spotting Harry sitting alone again Hermione made a beeline towards him.

"Where's Ron?" She asked again, dropping her bag beside her seat with a thud. She had sat down to make a quick sandwich before she realised that Harry didn't actually respond. Looking in his direction she also noticed he wasn't eating and seemed to be positively fuming.

"Harry? What is it? What happened?" Instead of answering her, he maintained his quiet anger, gripping a fork so hard his knuckles were turning white. Concerned and a little frustrated, Hermione attempted to release the fork from Harry's grasp, simultaneously attempting to grab his attention.

"Harry!" She called sternly, when he finally seemed to notice her presence. "What is it that's got you so pissed off?"

"Why don't you ask that tosser?!" He spat at her, nodding towards the end of the Gryffindor table.

Hermione finally noticed that Ron was sat there and seemed to be brooding just as hard as Harry.

"Well I would, but you're the one who is next to me right now Harry. Can you save me the wild goose chase, and just explain what I've apparently missed?" She asked him.

"He's pissed because he thinks I _purposefully_ signed up to the tournament and that apparently makes _us_ terrible friends!" Harry exclaimed. His voice had started to raise towards the end of his mini rant and Hermione began to wrap up her sandwich in preparation to leave. That was until she noticed a tiny detail in Harry's speech.

"Wait…_We're_ bad friends? Us as in you and me?" she reiterated.

"_Yes _Hermione!" Harry agreed, he appeared pleased that she could see his point.

She paused for a moment. She couldn't see Ron's thought process. How could he think that Harry would orchestrate this grand scheme to get into the tournament without their knowledge?

_And what the bloody hell have I done? _She thought.

She looked around, she didn't think she was going to get much more out of Harry. She wondered if the other students' thoughts were similar to Ron's? Was she the only one who knew Harry wouldn't do this?

"Let's go Harry, we have to speak to him." She set her resolve, moving to grab her bag.

"I'm not speaking to him." Harry refused.

"Come on Harry, stop sulking. Let's just work this out as soon as possible. We've got better things to worry about." She said, standing so he would too.

"It's not going to work Hermione, but I'm ready to leave anyway."

They both walked to where Ron was seated at the far end of the table. It wasn't until she reached him that she noticed he was sat with Lavender.

"Uh- Hi Ron." She faltered. "Can Harry and I speak with you?"

"No." He said barely looking up at them.

"No?" She asked.

"No. Now if you don't mind, I'm having lunch with Lavender." He dismissed her.

"Ron! This is urgent." She whisper-yelled to him.

"He's said no Hermione. Stop pushing and accept that you have been rejected." Lavender snubbed.

"Reje- this has nothing to do with you Lavender, so stay-" Hermione started in response. But Harry interrupted her when he took hold of her arm.

"Just leave it for now, Hermione." He said as he started to lead her away.

"Leave it? Harry, I don't even know what it is I'm leaving. Has he just decided we're no longer friends then? What happened when you saw him?" She argued back.

He waited until they were out of the great hall to give her details.

"I tried to speak with him after our divination lesson." She'd had ancient runes after potions, which is when her and Harry had separated. Ron hadn't been in potions, but they figured he had skived for whatever reason. She was surprised divination was the lesson he decided to attend. But she figured he wouldn't have wanted to deal with Snape in a bad mood.

"He ignored me at first, until I stopped him from walking away. That's when he told me to sod off." Hermione gasped in response. Sure, Ron had a short temper, but this didn't sound like him.

"I asked him what the hell he was going on about. And that's when he started saying how terrible of a friend I was. How he couldn't to believe that you and I would've plotted to get into the tournament without 'letting our best friend know'" Harry seethed.

"I asked him how he could _think_ that, but I guess I started yelling because that's when Lavender turned up _suggesting_ I stop making a scene, as she dragged Ron away. And he just… let her. He just went." Harry ended unimpressively.

Hermione didn't really know what to say. Ron was impulsive and short-tempered, yes, but when had he had the time to come to these conclusions? And when had Ron and Lavender become such good friends? She thought maybe Lavender had poisoned his thoughts towards them, as his mind could be quite malleable, but she couldn't figure out when that would have happened. Their _friendship _seemed to have blossomed overnight.

"I don't know what to say Harry, we have to speak to him. But we'll have to wait till he's alone to do it."

"If that happens. He'll be avoiding us." Harry countered.

"Well all we can do in this moment is wait a bit and hope he comes to his senses soon enough." She looked at her watch, noting they had just under forty minutes left of their lunch break.

Looking up, she rationalised with him. "I realise you're very pissed at Ron, and trust me I feel the same way, but we've got forty minutes that we could really make worthwhile…"

He observed her for a second. "Is there anything that could happen to put you off a trip to the library? Like ever?"

"You know me well enough Harry," she said smiling and linking her left arm with his right, to steer them in the direction of said library. "What do you think?"

"I think I've got a weird, very small, but still weird collection of friends." He countered.

"Ha! Weird is a nice word for it." She chuckled. "One is obsessed with books while the other is…"

"Doubting my friendship?" Harry supplied.

"I- Harry…" she faltered. "This isn't like him at all. You can't put much thought into this situation."

"Why not? He's basically doing that to us, isn't he? Merlin knows what you've done to him. And when did Lavender start speaking for him?" Harry argued.

She bit her lip. While she agreed with everything Harry had just said, it often fell to her to be peacemaker. A role that wouldn't be executed correctly if she outwardly chose a side.

She couldn't help but wonder though…

"Have you _ever _seen him… hang out with Lavender?" She wondered aloud.

Harry should his head. "Literally never, Hermione."

A comfortable hush settled between them, as both mused silently.

_Why are you doing this Ron?! _Her brain screamed.

_There isn't enough time. _

As they approached the library, Harry let go of her arm so he could push the doors open for them. Then out came Malfoy.

"Potter," he called, stretching to look over their shoulders, though he hardly needed to. "You seem to be down a pet. Is your weasel feeling poorly?" He asked with a smirk.

"Why don't you shut it Malfoy?" Harry snarked back, pushing passed him into the library.

"Who spat in _his_ tea?" Malfoy turned to her, jabbing a thumb in Harry's direction. "Or did he choke on a hair ball from your mane?" He continued gleefully. She decided, however, that she wouldn't let him get a rise out of her. She also wasn't sure what would come out of her mouth if she tried to speak, as her mind had been taken over by thoughts of their weird interaction yesterday – but that was besides the point.

Instead, she rolled her eyes and moved to follow after Harry. But he grabbed her elbow to stop her. Where he grabbed her, she felt a jolt of electricity stream straight to her belly button.

"Just don't be late tonight Granger," he said letting go of her hastily, all the snark from seconds before drained from his face. "Nine o'clock."

"We'll be out after curfew then." She said, finally finding her voice. But he was already off.

She wondered if he felt it too.

She turned around and made her way towards where Harry was waiting for her at the end of the transfiguration aisle.

"What are you meeting that Tosser for?" He asked somewhat accusingly.

"You heard that from here?" She asked instead.

"No, I was listening, and I had every intention of pretending I wasn't, but you sparked my curiosity. Don't ignore the question either!" He shot at her.

She rolled her eyes. "What do you think I'm meeting him for Harry?"

He looked at her for a second. "Hermione… you're not dating him, are you? I-understand-you're-going-through-something-but-" he rushed through the words so quickly Hermione could hardly make them out.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Harry slow down." She stopped him. "First of all, before madam Pince comes over, but also because I am not dating Malfoy. When would that have even happened? We've not had any time alone together…ever." She countered, omitting the weird interaction from the night before.

He seemed to be regarding her for a second before breathing a sigh of relief. "Yeah you're right. I don't know why I thought that. I guess this Ron stuffs got me on edge." He reasoned.

In turn, she regarded her friend. She wondered what he would think of her little pet project. He most definitely would not be pleased… but she thought she might be able to bring him around.

_Not right now though. _She thought.

"Come on, lets go find a table." She then said, beginning to walk ahead.

"You haven't answered me yet." Harry said catching up.

"Astronomy, remember?" She saw recognition flood Harry's face.

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that." Harry said.

"I'm guessing you haven't started your project either then. Not that I'm surprised." She bantered. "Who did Sinistra partner you with again?" She asked him.

"Harry thought for a while. "I can't remember." She looked at him as they prepared to take a seat at a secluded table.

"You're joking right?" She asked.

"I wish I was, I'll check in my room somewhere. I probably wrote it down somewhere."

"I'm hoping you did." She agreed. "So, the tri-wizard tournament." She looked at her watch. "We won't have time to really get into a book right now, but we can prepare so that when we come back after lessons we can have an efficient session."

"Uh, right okay." Harry agreed, pushing his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

"I think we should play to your strengths. Rather than learn something new right now, we'll focus on what your good at."

"Okay, that makes sense."

"Great, so you make a list about your strongest magical abilities and I'll compose a list of books we can read to give us some insight on the tournament."

"Okay, lets do it." Harry said pulling out a parchment and quill.

Hermione smiled and stood to find the catalogue of library book, to choose the ones that might benefit them.

"Oh, and Hermione?" She stopped to look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Thanks… I dunno for being my mate." He said. She felt the smile on her face grow.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" She replied.

* * *

**RIGHTTTT SO THAT'S IT FOR NOW!**

**What do we think? Review!**

**I had this whole monologue about what happened ready to type up but basically, Life got in the way. Not an excuse, I know, but I'm back on job now.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my latest reviewer ISAKEY, I hope I can continue to live up to your standards. **

**Thanks for all the faves and follows!**

_**(P.S: should I put dedications at the start? No response and I'll keep it this way xx)**_

**SF x **


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